2 2 The LIFE of the Part lil, fought to difcontent the Parliament, and make Differences, crc. And His n- ;eity undertook theDecifion of the Bulnefs, and acquitted Sir George Carteret; and the Parliament grudged, but acgniefced. § 54. When the Chancellour was banifhed, SirOrlando Bridgman was made Lord Keeper ; a Man that by his feemingmoderation to the Nonconformists, (though a 7calons Patron of Prelacy) got himfelf a good Name for a time ; and at frit whilft the D. of Buckinghamkept np the Cry for Liberty of Confcience, he feemedto com- ply with that Dehgn, to the great difpteafnreof the Ruling Prelates. Bet when he. faw, that that Game would not go on, he turned as zealous the other way ; and now wholly ferveththe Prelatical Intereff, bist is not muchvalued by cither.fide ; but ta- ken for an uncertain, timerons man. High Places, great Bufineflèsand Difficulties,do fo try Mens Abilities andtheir Morals, that many who ina low or middle Ration, obtained and kept up a great Name, do quickly lofe it, and grow defpifed and reproa- ched Perfons, when Exaltation andTrial bath made them known. Befides that as in profperous times the Chief State Minifters are praifed; fo in evil and fuffering' times, theybear theblame of what isamifs. § 55. About this time, the E. of S. (aPapift) having a very fair Wife (Daughter to the E. of C.) aPapift alfo (with whom lived Mr. johnfon, alias T"rrret, the Difpu- tingChampion for Popery) ; the liked other men fo much better than her Husband, that fan forfook him, andkept her felf ferret from his knowlcdg : But he believing that the Duke of Buckingham kept her fecretly, was not content to lofe hisWife, but he would alfo lofe his Life. And fending the Dukeof Buckingham a Challenge, they met and fought the Duke having Capt. Holmes andyenkins with him, and the Earl of Shrewsbury, Bernond, Howard, andanother : Where Howard kill`d yenkinr, and the Dukewounded.theEarl,:of which wounds he dyed; And the King pardoned the Duke ; but ftrihly prohibited Duels for the future. The Duke alto and the Marquefs of Dorcefter'had a shuffle at boxing in an openCommittee of Parliament. § 56. When the D. of Buckhingbarncame first into this high favour, he was look- ed on as the chief Minifter of irate instead of the Chancellor; and Stewed himfelf openly for Toleration or Liberty for all parties in matters of God`s worfhip: And then others alto feemed to look that way, as thinking that the King was for it. Whereupon thofe that were molt againft it grew into feeming difcontent. The Bp. of Winchefier Morley, was put ont of his place of Dean of the Chappel, and Bp. Crofts of Hereford (who feemed then to be for moderation) was put into the place : But it was not long till Crofts was either difcouraged, or as' fome Paid upon the Death of a Daughter,, for grief did leave his place and the Court ; And x Dr. the Bp. ofOxford *was broughtinto Isis place, and Dr. Crew (the fon ofthat wife Blandford. and pions Manthe Lord Crew) was madeClerkof theClofet. § 57. At the fametime the Minifters of London who had venturedto keep open Meetings in their honfes, and preached to great Numbers contrary to theLaw, were by the King's favour connived at; So that thepeople went openly to hear them without fear : Someimputed this to the King's own inclination to liberty of Confci- ence ; force to the D. of Buckingham's prevalency ; force to the Papifts lnterelt, who were for libertyof Confcience for their own Intereft : But others thought that the Papifts were really againft Liberty of Confcience, and did rather defire and de- fign that turnoff fev,rities mightruine the Puritans,and caufe Difcontents ano Divi- lions among our (elves, till we hadbroken one another all into pieces, and turnedall into filch Confefions, as might advantage them to play amore fuccefsfül Game, than ever Tolerationwas like to be. But whatever elfe was the fecret caufe it is evident that the great vilible caufe was the burning ofLondon, and thewant of Churches for thepeople to meet in ; It being at the hrft athing too grofs, to forbid an undone people all publick worfhiping of God, with too great rigour; And if theyhad been fo fcybidden, poverty hadleft them fo little to lofe as would have made them defperately go on. Therefore force thought all this was, to make Neceffity feent a favour. § 5 S. But whatever thecaufe of the Connivance was, it iscertain that theCoun- trey Minifters were fo muchencouraged by theboldnefs and liberty of thofeat Lon- don that theydidthe like inmolt parts of England, andGrdwdsof the molt Religi- only inclined people were their hearers ; And force fewgot,in a travellingway, into Pulpits where they were not known and the next day went away to another place., And this efpecially with the great dif.onteuts of the people for their manifold payments, and of Cities and.Corporatisn's for thegreat decay of Trade, and the breaking
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